Hey do we have a DIY for removing the rear weight BMW placed in the rear to balance the car. Does anyone recommend removing this weight to lighten the car. Gosh why couldn't they just put a spare tire.

I had the rear valance off, and could see up into the bumper structure quite easily. I didn't see anything that was not structural back there. I suppose that there may be bumper pieces themselves that are made heavier than needed to balance the car, but you obviously wouldn't want to remove that.

I'm pretty sure that I found it while my car was on a lift today getting the BMW performance exhaust installed. To the left of the muffler, behind the tire there is a black cylindrical hunk of solid steel that looks powdercoated. It seems that there is no other function other than weight. I'll post pictures tonight. I am sure there is another "ballast" on the other side of vehicle too, it's just covered up with plastic aero pieces, so you can't readily see it.

Is This the Part you are talking about Texas? The one to the rear of the valve actuator on the left (stock) exhaust? It looks like a rubber resonator to me... But I'll probably still get rid of it for weight savings.

That part is a rubber resonator ans only weighs about a couple ounces. It is there to keep teh car from shaking at idle. I wouldn't remove it.

No, he's talking about a big black metal bar, which I think is part of the bumper/crash impact system (that they may have made extra beefy for the weight balance).

I know that AndyM had a subscription to BMWTIS and could not find any part number that looked like ballast in the rear, and I have a hunch that it's not a separate piece, but rather a heftier than needed part that is functioning as something else...

Is This the Part you are talking about Texas? The one to the rear of the valve actuator on the left (stock) exhaust? It looks like a rubber resonator to me... But I'll probably still get rid of it for weight savings.

That part is a rubber resonator ans only weighs about a couple ounces. It is there to keep teh car from shaking at idle. I wouldn't remove it.

No, he's talking about a big black metal bar, which I think is part of the bumper/crash impact system (that they may have made extra beefy for the weight balance).

I know that AndyM had a subscription to BMWTIS and could not find any part number that looked like ballast in the rear, and I have a hunch that it's not a separate piece, but rather a heftier than needed part that is functioning as something else...

This thing doesn't look like any part of a crumple zone. It is solid steel. It's very easy to see when the car is on a lift and at eye level.

Hey do we have a DIY for removing the rear weight BMW placed in the rear to balance the car. Does anyone recommend removing this weight to lighten the car. Gosh why couldn't they just put a spare tire.

Consider that dead weight Gone. Hello spare tire! I'm removing it this weekend. I will post my results. If That son of a bitch is solid iron it has to weight about as much as Nicole riche pregnant. 80 pounds give or take LOL before the purge. Muhahaha less weight = faster car and better gas mpg. I would like to consider the negatives. Your thoughts???

Then might as well remove the airbags too! There some weight savings there too! :wink:

Don't get yourself hurt, just to lighten the car in a manner it was never intended to be. Get smacked by a truck from behind and if those are missing, you'll have a grill in your back seat and a world of hurt. (and likely an insurance company who's not paying a dime to get your car fixed).

Agree, GREAT PICS!! Those are what I saw too, but if you remove them there's nothing but plastic in the corners. I think those function as collision protection.

Maybe, but to me it looks like they just kind of hang there. Look at my first picture. It's a piece of thin metal right behind the wheel well that the ballast connects to and it's mounted so low, what is it protecting?

Not relevant, but I think a lot of bumper covers have styrofoam behind them and not a huge hunk of steel. For the record, I am leaving mine alone. They'll stay where BMW put them.